Luxury hotel · Botswana

Zarafa Camp

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A four-suite Relais and Chateaux camp on the Zibadianja Lagoon in the private 130,000-hectare Selinda Reserve in northern Botswana, co-founded by National Geographic filmmakers Dereck and Beverly Joubert, with a maximum of eight guests, raised teak platforms beneath ebony trees, and Swarovski binoculars and Canon cameras in every suite.

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At a glance

Zarafa Camp stands on a raised bank overlooking the Zibadianja Lagoon in the private Selinda Reserve, a 130,000-hectare wilderness in northern Botswana linking the Okavango Delta to the Linyanti River system.

The name comes from the Arabic for “beloved one,” a reference to the first giraffe brought from Africa to Europe, gifted to King Charles X of France in the 1820s. Co-founded by National Geographic wildlife filmmakers Dereck and Beverly Joubert, Zarafa is Botswana’s first Relais and Chateaux property, with four tented suites and a maximum of eight guests.

The Selinda Spillway, a channel that periodically connects the Linyanti River system to the Okavango, passes through the eastern side of the reserve. When it fills in years of high flood, the wildlife density across the reserve reaches a level that few areas in Africa can match.

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In detail

Food and Drink

Dining at Zarafa operates without a fixed schedule, built around the rhythm of the day and the activities around it. Meals range from communal dinners at the main table under the canopy of ebony trees to bush picnics on all-day game drives, afternoon tea, and private dinners on the veranda or on the pontoon boat on the lagoon.

The wine list is served from a private cellar. Vegan, vegetarian, and other dietary requirements are accommodated as standard. The emphasis throughout is on fresh produce sourced as locally as possible.

Spa and Wellness

Zarafa has an outdoor spa and open-air gym, both with views over the lagoon. Spa treatments can also be taken in the suite or on the private deck. Yoga sessions can be arranged on request.

The camp’s commitment to sustainability extends to its wellness operation, with products drawn from natural and locally sourced ingredients where possible.

Activities

Game drives in open 4×4 vehicles, custom-adapted for photographers, operate morning, afternoon, and evening. Guided bush walks cover the reserve on foot. The pontoon boat HES Zib handles wildlife viewing, birding, brunch, and sundowner excursions on the Zibadianja Lagoon, with catch-and-release fly fishing also available.

The reserve is home to leopard, lion, cheetah, elephant, buffalo, wild dog, roan, sable, and red lechwe, with the Selinda lion pride featured in a National Geographic documentary. A Young Explorers Programme covers bush skills, animal sounds, and conservation knowledge for children.

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Room Types

Suites

Each of Zarafa’s four tented suites covers 100 square metres on a raised platform of recycled teak railway sleepers beneath a canopy of ebony trees. Interiors thread through deep reds and chocolate tones under flowing canvas, with handcrafted Zanzibari doors, antique kilim rugs, and brass details throughout.

Each suite includes a bedroom connecting to a full lounge and open-plan bathroom with a copper claw-foot bathtub, indoor and outdoor showers, and a gas fireplace. A private plunge pool and wrap-around veranda face the lagoon. Swarovski binoculars, a Nikon telescope, and a Canon 5D camera with memory cards are provided in each suite.

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Dhow Suite

The Dhow Suite is a two-bedroom tented villa situated a short walk from the main camp, entered through a carved wooden Lamu door and set on its own raised deck overlooking the lagoon.

It accommodates up to four adults and one child and is sold on an exclusive-use basis with a private game drive vehicle, guide, and chef. The suite includes a shared lounge and dining area, a private pool, and all the amenities of the standard suites across both bedrooms. Suited to families or groups wanting complete separation from the main camp.

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